An object detection system, particularly for motor vehicles, is discussed in DE 199 34 670 A1, the object detection system being made up of a combination of at least three object detectors which each have a different detection range and/or a different operating range.
Frequently, object detection systems for motor vehicles have a plurality of different sensor systems which cover different recording ranges, or they have a sensor that can be operated in different operating modes having different recording ranges. Because of the growing number of driver assistance systems in motor vehicles, the object data, ascertained by the object detection sensors, with respect to preceding vehicles and standing objects located ahead, are used by different driver assistance functions, these respective functions evaluating objects in different sensor recording ranges. Such systems are increasing exponentially in their complexity, since the functions and the sensors each have to be adjusted to one another, so that the respective driver assistance functions only process the objects in the recording range of the sensor which are necessary for their functionality, and, in this context, have to switch over the object detection sensor in its operating modes.